January marks the beginning of a new year – and new goals, dreams, and resolutions to go along with it. Lots of people make resolutions to cut back on excess and bad habits to go along with the new year, often including a pledge to drink a little bit less.
Which is how “Day January” came about.
What is dry January?
Dry January refers to taking a break from alcohol during the month of January.
It began back in 2013 as a “challenge” set by a group called Alcohol Concern (now called Alcohol Change UK) in the United Kingdom. People could sign up for the challenge of going completely sober throughout the first month of the year in order to develop healthier habits around alcohol, and also assess their relationship with the stuff.
There are health benefits to participating in Dry January like better sleep, more energy, improved mood, and even reduced anxiety. It has caught on around the world, and Dry January is now a phrase most people are familiar with.
It’s gotten so popular, in fact, that the US now has an official National Mocktail Week to coincide with Dry January.
National Mocktail Week takes place the second week in January in the US – but you certainly don’t have to wait until this one week per year to enjoy a good mocktail around Cleveland!
What is a mocktail?
What exactly is a mocktail, you ask? It’s simply a mixed drink or cocktail that doesn’t contain any alcohol. They are often also called things like virgin cocktails, zero-proof drinks, NA cocktails, spirit-free cocktails, etc.
The popularity of people participating in a Dry January – and generally just the interest in cutting back on alcohol consumption – has raised the profile of mocktails in the last couple years. Virgin cocktails aren’t just for kids anymore!
There are lots of reasons why someone might seek out mocktails over traditional cocktails. Beyond people suffering from addiction, there are also pregnant people, people with certain health concerns, people offering to be a designated driver for a night, and people like me who just don’t love the taste of most alcohol who love finding mocktail options on menus.
Drinking is often a social thing, and it’s nice to not feel left out!
The best mocktails in Cleveland
There are an increasing number of bars and restaurants around Cleveland that serve mocktails and non-alcoholic beer and wine. I won’t pretend to know of every single spot that has a virgin cocktail on their menu, but I do know of several that have a couple mocktails on offer all the time.
(There are other bars that will undoubtedly do special mocktails for Dry January and Mocktail Week, but I want to focus on places that have at least a couple non-alcoholic cocktails on their menus throughout the year!)
My top picks include:
1. Verbena Free Spirited Shoppe
1434 W 29th St, Cleveland (Ohio City)
This first one is my go-to, as it’s a fully non-alcoholic bar and shop. During the day, they serve coffee and Cleveland Tea Revival drinks (along with light cafe bites), and in the evening they shift over to a full bar menu with only mocktails on offer.
Their menu changes throughout the year, but always features 7-10 spirit-free cocktails that are hand crafted to order, alongside some NA wines. (See their full menus here.)
Verbena also has a small retail shop area where you can purchase other non-alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, and NA spirits, either to enjoy there at the bar, or to take home. (The St. Agrestis Phony Negroni is one of the most believable mocktail alternatives I’ve tried!)
I LOVE that we have this spot now in Cleveland. It looks like a bar and feels like a bar, but there’s no alcohol at all to be found.
(And in 2024, Verbena is doing a “Dry January Tasting” every Saturday. Stop in between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. every Saturday in January to sample some spirit-free items.)
2. Cloak & Dagger
2399 W 11th St, Cleveland (Tremont)
Cloak & Dagger is a very fun and atmospheric cocktail bar in Tremont (the dark literary vibe here is one of my favorites in all of Cleveland!). Their seasonal cocktail menus are creative (and always themed!), and they have a small food menu of fully vegan dishes.
And, while their menus change several times per year, they always note on their menu which of their cocktails can be made spirit-free (and still taste great). They usually have at least 3-4 cocktails on their menu that can be made as mocktails. (See their current menu here.)
3. Jaja
2050 Gehring Ave, Cleveland (Ohio City)
This hip steakhouse in Ohio City is most known for its shareable plates, tasty steaks, and interior design. But they also have a great (if tiny) bar with an extensive cocktail menu. And on that menu are 4 different NA cocktails.
Not only do I appreciate the spirit-free options here, but I also appreciate that they are cheaper than the regular cocktails! (That’s not the case everywhere.) See their full drink menu here.
4. Heck’s Cafe
2927 Bridge Ave, Cleveland (Ohio City)
Heck’s Cafe has a couple different locations around Cleveland, but I most often visit the Ohio City location. I love their brunch and burger options, and also love that they always have three mocktail options on their menu.
Their spicy Passion Fruit Picante is, hands down, my favorite mocktail in Cleveland! (Seriously, go try it if you like drinks with a bit of a bite.) See their full drink menu here (click on the “Wine + Cocktails” tab).
5. LBM
12301 Madison Ave, Lakewood
LBM bar in Lakewood is known for its Viking-themed vibes, and has a motto that goes “Weird Cocktails / Dope Food / Loud Music.” It’s an aesthetic for sure!
And, along with a very long list of house and seasonal cocktails, LBM does some great spirit-free cocktails, too, currently offering 4 on their menu that are interesting and tasty. (See their current drink menu here.)
6. The Fairmount
2448 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland (Cleveland Heights)
The Fairmount Cocktail Bar in Cleveland Heights is slightly misnamed, because it’s actually an excellent restaurant along with a bar. They have one of our favorite Cleveland patios, as well as an excellent rotating drinks list.
And their cocktail menu includes at least 3 non-alcoholic drinks, which are worth trying. (See their full menu here; scroll to the bottom for drinks.)
7. The Watson Speakeasy
1846 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls
Okay, so this isn’t a Cleveland bar, but it’s a new favorite of mine, so I’m including it anyway! It’s a true “hidden” speakeasy-style bar in Cuyahoga Falls, with a bunch of fun and beautifully-presented cocktails on the menu.
And, along with all the cocktail options, they also have a full page of “NA and holistic mocktails,” some made with different adaptogens. These mocktails are all thoughtfully crafted and really different – and they’re just as beautifully presented as the “regular” drinks on the menu. (See their full drink menu here.)
A few other local bars with at least 1-2 mocktails on their regular drink menu include:
- The South Side in Tremont
- The Hangar in Ohio City (inside City Goods)
- Humble Wine Bar in Lakewood
Other fun Dry January options in Cleveland
Want to skip the “drinks-moonlighting-as-alcoholic-ones” altogether, but still want to go out and order something fun and different during Dry January?
Here are a few fun options I’d recommend:
- Patron Saint in Ohio City – Patron Saint calls itself an aperitivo bar, but during the day they serve food and coffee alongside cocktails. And a fun thing on their menu is a range of “Coffee Cocktails,” which are inventive coffee drinks that only lightly resemble cocktails (and are much more affordable).
- Little Birdie Wine Nest in Parma – While it’s most known as a wine shop, I am obsessed with Little Birdie Wine Nest for their brunch grazing boards. Pair one with a flight of cold brew coffees for a really fun non-boozy brunch. (Though if you do want to make it boozy, you can add alcohol to your coffee flight, or even order a mimosa flight.)
You can also check out my guides to bubble tea and hot chocolate in Cleveland for even more ideas.
Do you participate in Dry January? Who serves up your favorite mocktail in Cleveland?
Amanda was born and raised in northeast Ohio, and has always been a fangirl of her home state. Now, she’ sharing her love of the Cleveland area with the world, highlighting all the best things to do, see, and eat in the CLE. She’s been running Cleveland Traveler since January 2019.